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By Ken Button |

16 Best Contract Management Software: Ultimate 2026 Buyer's Guide

Let’s face it: the contract software market in 2026 is a lot to take in. You’ve got AI agents promising to run your legal department, massive enterprise suites getting even more complex, and a million features you probably don’t need. But at the end of the day, the shiniest tool is useless if nobody logs in. We skipped the sales brochures to give you an honest look at the top 16 platforms—so you can find the one your team will actually like using.


TL;DR
  1. The Shift: The market has split into three distinct camps: heavy enterprise suites, AI-first intelligence tools, and lightweight, adoption-focused platforms.

  2. The "Must-Haves": In 2026, AI features are standard, not a differentiator. The new competitive advantage is usability—tools that require minimal training are winning over complex "do-it-all" systems.

  3. In this Guide: We break down the top 16 platforms by use case, stripping away the marketing hype to reveal what they do best, where they may fall short, and which ones deliver the fastest time-to-value.


TABLE OF CONTENTS

  1. The Contract Management Landscape in 2026
  2. How to Choose the Right Contract Management Software in 2026
  3. Best Contract Management Software Compared
  4. Best Contract Management Software: Full Vendor Reviews
    1. ContractSafe
    2. Agiloft
    3. Contractbook
    4. ContractWorks (Onit)
    5. CobbleStone
    6. Concord
    7. ContractZen
    8. DocuSign CLM
    9. Gatekeeper
    10. Ironclad
    11. Juro
    12. LinkSquares
    13. Outlaw (Filevine)
    14. Nomio
    15. SpotDraft
    16. Workday (formerly Evisort)
  5. Choosing the Right CLM
  6. See Why Customers Choose ContractSafe
  7. FAQs About Contract Management Software


The Enterprise Contract Management (CLM) Software Landscape in 2026

The market has changed fast, and not always in ways buyers expect. Enterprise CLMs became heavier. Mid-market tools added much-needed AI. Lighter-weight solutions finally realized that usability isn’t a “nice to have” — it’s the whole game.

This guide cuts through the noise and breaks down the tools leading the space today, with an honest look at what they do well and where they may slow you down.

Let’s dig in.


How to Choose the Right Contract Management Software (Quick Guide)

Choosing a CLM in 2026 is tough—AI is everywhere, features are endless, and complexity is rising fast. Focus on the criteria that matter most:

  • Ease of Use (still the #1 predictor of adoption)
    If it’s hard to learn or navigate, your team simply won’t use it.

  • The Feature Set You Actually Need
    Start with must-haves like reminders, workflows, and dashboards—and avoid paying for features you’ll never touch.

  • Fast, Low-Lift Implementation
    Look for bulk upload options, auto-OCR, AI metadata extraction, and onboarding that takes weeks (or days), not months.

  • Integrations That Fit How You Work
    Salesforce/HubSpot, Slack/Teams, Word, eSignature, and shared-drive systems like Google Drive, SharePoint, and OneDrive—your CLM should plug in easily.

  • Pricing You Can Predict
    Choose models that don’t punish adoption. Transparent pricing + unlimited users = more value.

  • AI That Actually Works
    The must-haves in 2026: automated extraction, AI search + chat, and AI contract review that flags risks and deviations instantly.


Best Contract Management Software Compared

Managing contracts doesn't have to be overwhelming, especially with the right solutions to help you stay organized, save time, and reduce stress. But with so many contract management software options out there, how do you know which one is right for your business?

Below, you'll find 16 of the top contract management systems for 2026 and what makes them unique, highlighting their key features, strengths, and potential drawbacks.

 

Vendor

Price

Best For

Key Differentiators

Limitations

ContractSafe

Starts at $375/mo unlimited users

Teams wanting fast, simple, high-adoption CLM

AI search, unlimited users on all plans, easy, affordability, automated alerts, fast onboarding, and exceptional support

Not built for deeply complex enterprise workflow orchestration

Agiloft

Not Listed

Highly specialized teams

Deep configurability, powerful automation

Steep learning curve; requires technical admin

ContractWorks (Onit)

Not Listed

SMB–mid-market teams wanting simple CLM

Fast setup, unlimited users, Smart Tagging, GPT drafting, integrated eSignature

Limited advanced automation; roadmap influenced by Onit

CobbleStone

Not Listed

Enterprise environments needing heavy customization

Deep configurability, procurement + contracting workflows

Legacy UI, steep learning curve, admin-heavy

Concord

Starts at $499/mo. ( 5 users)

Small teams with simple contract workflows (now with AI-native Concord Horizon)

AI Copilot, natural-language search, refreshed UX, collaboration

Still lighter on complex enterprise workflow needs. Plans only include 5 users

Contractbook

Not Listed

Startups + SMBs needing browser-based workflows

Clean UI, templated flows, easy collaboration

Not ideal for complex legal review or enterprise workflows

ContractZen

Starts at $9.50/user/month

Small teams needing simple storage + governance tools

Easy adoption, meeting management, virtual data room

Not a full CLM, limited workflow capabilities

DocuSign CLM

Not Listed

Enterprises with sophisticated approval needs

Advanced workflow automation, metadata, Salesforce integration

Long implementations, high cost, heavy admin

Gatekeeper

Not Listed

Procurement + vendor management teams

Vendor lifecycle workflows, robust supplier management

More procurement-first than legal-first

Ironclad

Not Listed

Enterprise legal ops with advanced workflow needs

Workflow builder, integrations, redlining

Expensive, long implementations, admin overhead

Juro

Not Listed

Legal teams wanting collaborative browser-based drafting

Beautiful editor, template automation, approvals, Salesforce integration

Performance issues on large/complex contracts; lighter advanced automation

LinkSquares

Not Listed

Mid-market legal teams needing analytics

Fast AI search, analytics dashboards, lifecycle tools

Clunky editor, no folder structure, manual tagging

Nomio Contract Management

Not Listed

Teams needing a "done-for-you", accurate repository

Human-verified extraction, clean UI, excellent search

Pure repository focus; no drafting or negotiation tools

Outlaw (Filevine)

Not Listed

Filevine users needing contract workflows

Clean editor, templating, collaboration

Fully absorbed into Filevine; limited standalone future

SpotDraft

Not Listed

Legal teams prioritizing drafting + approval workflows

Strong editor, approvals, AI clause extraction

Setup complexity; can become heavier at scale

Workday (formerly Evisort)

Not Listed

Enterprise teams needing deep AI ingestion

Exceptional OCR, bulk upload, clause + obligation extraction, enterprise analytics

Complex workflows; enterprise pricing


RELATED: How to Choose the Right Contract Lifecycle Management (CLM) Software: The Ultimate Checklist


Best Contract Management Software: Full Vendor Reviews

1. ContractSafe

ContractSafe at a glance: ContractSafe is a full contract lifecycle management (CLM) platform built on a strong, repository-first foundation. That origin gives it reliable strengths in search, visibility, organization, and easy access to every document. Layered on top are modern CLM capabilities — like workflows, approvals, intake forms, templates, reminders, and dashboards, and automatic OCR for fully searchable documents — combined with powerful AI features such as intelligent search, AI-driven data extraction, and natural-language contract Q&A. With fast onboarding, unlimited users on every plan, and no-code automation, ContractSafe delivers a simple, affordable solution designed for broad adoption without the administrative burden of heavier enterprise tools.

Price Range: Starts at $375/mo and scales based on features and contract volume, not user count (unlimited users and a dedicated customer success manager included on all plans).

Try it out risk-free with a free trial today.

With ContractSafe, you’ll get:

  • Transparent pricing and unlimited users, letting your entire organization access the system without worrying about seat limits or rising costs as your team grows.

  • Fast implementation, in hours, not months, with an intuitive platform that allows most teams to self-implement by importing contracts, extracting data, setting alerts, launching workflows, and inviting users on day one—no consultants required.

  • AI that works the way you do, with automatic identification of 30+ key fields, natural-language AI search to surface answers instantly, and AI contract review that compares language to your playbooks and flags risks in seconds.

  • Features you'll actually use, like AI chat for instant answers on contract terms, templates for fast contract creation, approvals to keep deals moving, and an integrated e-signature for quick execution.

  • Smart search and automatic OCR, turning every contract—including scanned PDFs—into a fully searchable document within seconds, with no extra fees or manual processing.

  • Electronic signatures are integrated into the flow, so you don’t need a separate tool for signing.

  • Automated renewal and reminder alerts, helping you stay ahead of termination windows, renewal deadlines, and upcoming obligations without manual tracking.

  • Task assignment and in-document collaboration, allowing you to tag teammates, leave comments, and keep discussions tied directly to the contract so context is never lost.

  • Editing and redlining the way your team works, with the flexibility to work directly in ContractSafe or open contracts in Microsoft Word for full redline control—then sync them right back without breaking version history.

  • Customizable dashboards and insightful reporting, giving you visibility into key metrics like renewals, workload, and cycle times with reports that keep stakeholders aligned.

  • Exceptional human support with fast response times, giving your team quick access to real people who can help whenever questions come up. And a dedicated success manager means you can rest easy knowing support is just a click or call away whenever questions come up.

What customers are saying:

"ContractSafe was the best platform we didn't know we needed! It is so user-friendly, and a very viable option to manage all your contracts and related info. My team is thrilled with the rollout of ContractSafe and happy to be modernized in our contract management."

- Teresa J., Billing and Contracts1


Pros Cons
  • Hassle-free purchase experience with a free trial and demo, and no hidden fees
  • Robust search functionality
  • Full date management and alerts
  • Support and training
  • Intake forms, contract templates, version control, and approval workflows
  • Data residency in the U.S., CA, and EU
  • Easy to use, even if you’re not tech-savvy
  • Unlimited users at every price point
  • Affordable options for organizations at every level
  •  
  • No clause library

2. Agiloft

Agiloft dashboard image

Agiloft at a glance: Agiloft is one of the most customizable CLM platforms available and is often chosen by organizations with very specific or unusual workflows. It can be configured to handle end-to-end contract processes as well as related procurement and vendor management, but that flexibility comes with a learning curve. Implementations can be lengthy and typically require a dedicated admin or technical resource to maintain over time.

Price range: Custom pricing, quote-based; historically mid-to-high enterprise range.

With Agiloft, you’ll get:

  • Deep workflow customization so you can tailor every stage of the contract lifecycle to match your exact policies and processes.

  • Extensive integrations with other enterprise systems to keep contract data connected to finance, CRM, and procurement tools.

  • A strong automation engine that can trigger notifications, tasks, and approvals based on contract data or status changes.

  • Template and clause tools to support standardized contract creation and reduce drafting time.

  • Reporting and dashboards for visibility into contract volumes, cycle times, and compliance metrics.

  • Vendor/PO/procurement options that broaden use cases beyond pure legal contracting.

What customers are saying:

Customers praise flexibility but mention complexity, training needs, and the need for ongoing admin involvement.

“Unless you have a proficient dedicated IT in-house support who can set up the system, you will have to invest in some time at the start along with Agiloft to customise to your liking. I think most companies do not use even 50% of Agiloft's capabilities.”

- Damian C., Consultant 2

Pros Cons
  • Vendor and compliance management
  • Custom analytics
  • Contract assistant for Microsoft products 
  • Employee portal 
  • Robust workflow automations
  • Dated user interface
  • Non-tech-savvy users may struggle to make the most of the software’s features
  • Lengthy implementation
  • Lacks common integrations (HubSpot, Zapier, Slack)
  • Price not listed on the site
  • No dedicated customer success manager
 

5. Contractbook

Contractbook dashboard image

Contractbook at a glance: Contractbook is a contract management software with a primary focus on contract generation. Its sustainability initiative "Save the Trees" and integration with numerous other business tools help it stand out from the crowd. However, it struggles with limited reporting tools, opaque pricing, and challenges associated with third-party contracts.

Price range: Contractbook offers three plans (Essential, Centralize, Accelerate). Pricing isn’t listed publicly and is typically quote-based, with costs varying based on both user count and contracts signed.With Contractbook, you’ll get:

  • Modern in-browser drafting that makes contracts feel like any other cloud-based document your team collaborates on.

  • Customizable templates to standardize NDAs, MSAs, sales agreements, and other frequently used contracts.

  • Workflow automation for common tasks like approvals, sending for signature, and moving contracts to the right stage.

  • Electronic signatures are integrated into the flow, so you don’t need a separate tool for signing.

  • Simple approvals and collaboration features that keep comments, changes, and status updates in one place.

  • Integrations with startup-friendly tools so contracts can connect into the rest of your tech stack.

What customers are saying:

Users like the clean UI and modern drafting experience. Limitations often come up around redlining and scaling into more complex workflows.

“Bugs and stuff that requires manual/extra work, e.g. having to refresh contracts before sending them, pop-ups about using same email twice (even while not doing that), overall lagginess of the page, customers having trouble signing (sometimes requests signing into CB to sign etc.)”

- Kasper H. 3

Pros Cons
  • Approval workflows 
  • Unlimited digital signatures
  • Template library for simple contract creation
  • 14-day free trial
  • Limited reporting and analytics features compared to other contract management solutions
  • Restrictive pricing for small businesses
  • Does not list exact price on the site
  • Caps implementation services by tier

Check out our full comparison of ContractSafe vs. Contractbook to find the best contract management solution for your needs.


4. ContractWorks

Contractworks dashboard image

ContractWorks at a glance: 

ContractWorks offers simple contract storage, e-signature, and basic workflows for teams that want a straightforward CLM. Its focus has traditionally been on getting contracts centralized quickly, and more recently, it’s added AI-driven Smart Tagging and GPT drafting to modernize the experience. Now part of Onit via the SecureDocs acquisition, ContractWorks remains approachable, but it increasingly sits inside a broader enterprise portfolio—which is worth noting if you’re thinking about a long-term roadmap and complexity.

Price range: ContractWorks uses tiered, flat-fee pricing; exact monthly rates are provided via quote.

With ContractWorks, you’ll get:

  • Simple, quick implementation so you can centralize contracts and start tracking key dates without a long IT project.

  • Integrated e-signature that keeps signing and storage in one place, reducing the back-and-forth between tools.

  • AI Smart Tagging for key dates and clauses, which helps reduce manual data entry and speeds up basic contract review.

  • GPT-assisted drafting features that provide language suggestions and help legal teams standardize templates and clauses.

  • Easy document organization through folders and metadata so teams can find contracts by customer, vendor, or project.

  • Free onboarding support, which helps smaller teams get everything set up without needing internal admin expertise.

What customers are saying:

Buyers like ContractWorks for its simplicity and predictable pricing. Some express concern about the steep learning curve and future roadmap direction now that it's part of Onit (integration of enterprise capabilities may cause feature bloat), and others note limitations in workflow depth. 

“I felt like this software created a foundation for us to go from a paper process to an electronic process. It created a centralized database for our contracts, and we had to reorganize our processes for that. However, some users wanted the next level functions or automated processes.”

- Craig S., IT Project Manager 4

Pros Cons
  • Contract drafting 
  • Easy to run reports
  • Unlimited users
  • Difficult to manage attachments
  • E-signature licenses are restricted
  • Reliant on folders/subfolders for tagging
  • Pricing may not be suitable for smaller businesses with simpler needs or a limited budget

Check out our full comparison of ContractSafe vs. ContractWorks to find the best contract management solution for your needs.


5. CobbleStone

Cobblestone dashboard image

CobbleStone at a glance: CobbleStone offers a highly customizable CLM system with procurement, vendor management, and compliance modules built in. It’s designed for organizations that need detailed, structured workflows and tight alignment between contracting and procurement. The platform is feature-rich and flexible, making it a strong fit for teams that require deep configurability across the entire contract lifecycle.

Price range: Broad range depending on modules; typically requires a quote and is for mid-market to enterprise, especially procurement-heavy organizations.

With CobbleStone, you’ll get:

  • Extensive workflow customization so you can mirror complex approval paths, compliance checks, and multi-step processes.

  • Procurement + contract lifecycle tools that keep vendor contracts, sourcing, and obligations connected instead of siloed.

  • Vendor and supplier management capabilities that help you track relationships, performance, and associated documents in one place.

  • Robust reporting and audit features, giving procurement, legal, and compliance teams better visibility into activity and risk.

  • Clause library + template management to support more standardized drafting and negotiation, especially for high-volume agreements.

What customers are saying:

Customers frequently cite CobbleStone’s power and configurability as major strengths, but they also mention a dated user interface, a steep learning curve, and a heavier administrative lift compared to more modern CLMs. Several reviews note that getting the most out of CobbleStone often requires ongoing admin resources and dedicated training.

"One of the main difficulties is the interface, which can initially be difficult to use. It can take some time to get used to all the features and functions, and the learning curve for new users can be steep. Additionally, the software can be slow to load, especially when working with larger contract databases, which can hurt productivity. As it can be challenging to derive useful insights from the data, the reporting and analytics features could also use some improvement."

- Brizl P., Marketing and Advertising 5

Pros Cons
  • Base level includes template creation
  • Vendor management capabilities
  • OCR for easy data extraction
  • Base level includes template creation
  • Vendor management capabilities
  • OCR for easy data extraction
  • Dedicated support comes with an additional fee
  • Navigation can be challenging for some users
  • Some users report challenges with reporting
  • Native e-signature is only available at Enterprise tier
  • Base tier does not offer bulk imports
  • Lacks transparent pricing structure
 
Check out our full comparison of ContractSafe vs. Cobblestone to find the best contract management solution for your needs.

6. Concord

Concord dashboard image

Concord at a glance: Concord just launched Concord Horizon, a fully AI-native redesign of its platform. The new experience layers conversational AI (“Copilot”), natural language search, and integrations with tools like ChatGPT and Claude on top of its existing CLM features. The UI has been refreshed with light and dark mode, improved tables, and smoother navigation, making everyday drafting and reviewing feel more modern. Concord still leans toward small and mid-sized teams with simpler workflows, but Horizon gives those teams access to AI capabilities that used to be reserved for higher-end tools.

Price range: Concord Horizon offers published pricing starting at $499/month for 5 users (Essentials plan), with tiered upgrades for Business and Enterprise plans. Additional users are $49-89/mo. depending on the plan.

With Concord, you’ll get:

  • AI-native Copilot for summaries, comparisons, and insights, so you can quickly understand renewal exposure, deviations from standard terms, or key obligations.

  • Natural-language search with clause-level citations, letting users ask questions in plain English and jump straight to the relevant sections in contracts.

  • Concord MCP for secure ChatGPT/Claude querying, enabling teams to work with their contract data inside AI assistants they’re already using.

  • A fully refreshed UX with light/dark mode, new layout options, and more efficient navigation between contracts and tasks.

  • Templating and workflow tools to streamline contract creation and approval for small-to-mid sized businesses.

  • Real-time collaboration so legal and business stakeholders can comment, negotiate, and iterate in one shared environment.

What customers are saying:

Early feedback praises Concord Horizon’s modern feel and fast AI search. Some note that advanced workflows still aren’t as deep as enterprise CLMs.

“I've found it to be a bit confusing at times, and it's slowed down my work. We have a lot of options when it comes to customizing our platform. However, setting it up can take some time. I'm worried that the platform can be slow sometimes. This has made it difficult for me to use it smoothly and efficiently.“

- Brizl P., IT Marketing and Advertising 6

Pros Cons
  • Intuitive pre-signature capabilities
  • Templates for contract creation
  • Strong contract editing features
  • More limited post-signature capabilities, including weaker search than other CLMs, formatting inconsistencies on upload, and fewer tools for managing dates and renewals.

  • Changes formatting in documents when uploaded

  • Setting up users can be time-consuming

  • Per-user price structure could be too costly for large teams

7. ContractZen

ContractZen dashboard image
ContractZen at a glance: 
ContractZen blends contract storage with governance tools like board meeting management and virtual data rooms. It’s geared toward organizations that want a simple, secure hub for important documents (repository) rather than a full end-to-end CLM. Small teams often adopt it as a central place to store contracts, meeting minutes, and key corporate records without a heavy configuration process.

Price range: $9.50/mo per user for basic; $27/mo per user for advanced; with custom options for more than 50 users

With ContractZen, you’ll get:

  • Secure contract repository to keep agreements centralized and accessible.

  • Meeting management tools that support board and leadership governance.

  • Virtual data room capabilities for sharing documents securely with external stakeholders.

  • Metadata tagging to categorize and filter documents, even if search is more basic than in advanced CLMs.

  • Simple search that works well for smaller repositories.

  • Affordable pricing that makes it attractive for small organizations and nonprofits.

What customers are saying:

Customers value its simplicity and governance features. Most note it’s not built for full lifecycle automation.

“All our documents are in a single location, and it's easy to find information…Some times the UI could be more streamlined, there are a lot of features always visible.”

- Mikko L. 7

Pros Cons
  • Cloud-based storage and data encryption
  • Collaboration tools for contract management
  • Very affordable for small businesses
  • E-signature integration is buggy
  • Inability to customize fields
  • Limited search functionality
  • Overwhelming user interface
  • Limited storage

8. DocuSign CLM

Docusign CLM dashboard image

DocuSign at a glance: DocuSign CLM builds on the company’s market-leading eSignature brand and offers strong workflow automation along with deep Salesforce integration. It’s designed for large organizations with structured, multi-step approval processes and heavy cross-functional contract volume. While powerful, the platform is best suited for enterprises with the technical resources needed to support complex configuration and integrations.

Price range: DocuSign CLM pricing is fully quote-based; DocuSign does publish list prices for eSignature plans, but CLM is sold separately via custom quotes. Typically high-end enterprise pricing.

With DocuSign, you’ll get:

  • Advanced workflow designer to build multi-step approvals, routing rules, and conditional logic tied to contract type or value.

  • Deep Salesforce alignment that routes approvals through existing Salesforce processes and pushes contract data into reports and dashboards.

  • Metadata management and search tools that help you store and query key fields across large volumes of contracts.

  • Robust reporting for tracking contract status, cycle times, bottlenecks, and renewal pipelines.

  • Native eSignature compatibility though integration between CLM and DocuSign eSignature requires configuration.

  • Role-based access to manage who can view, edit, or approve contracts, which is essential in large enterprises.

What customers are saying:

Customers often praise DocuSign CLM’s powerful workflows and tight Salesforce alignment, especially for revenue-focused teams. But they also report significant challenges: a steep learning curve, long and complex implementations, weak repository search, and a heavy reliance on Salesforce admins or external consultants for setup and ongoing maintenance. Many also note issues with support responsiveness, higher cost compared to alternatives, and limited flexibility during contract negotiations. Finally, users consistently point out that DocuSign CLM and DocuSign eSignature function as separate products, creating added configuration work and ongoing overhead.

"The Dashboard UI can be improved and need more customization option to add widgets. The reports take a lot of time to generate. The time it takes to view merge preview can be reduced."
- G2.com 8

Pros Cons
  • Works with other software
  • Basic features are adequate for small businesses
  • Trusted name in e-signing
  • Pricing structure can become expensive quickly
  • Not as robust as other contract management platforms
  • Limited features for legal teams
  • Poor contract editing capabilities
  • Lacks search functionality
  • Implementation can be lengthy

9. Gatekeeper

gatekeeper dashboard image

Gatekeeper at a glance: Gatekeeper blends CLM with vendor lifecycle management, onboarding, and GRC workflows. It’s built primarily for procurement and supplier management use cases, offering tools to manage vendor onboarding, risk, compliance tracking, and contract visibility. The platform’s strength lies in unifying vendor and contract data in a single system.

Price range: Gatekeeper uses tiered, contract-volume-based pricing (Pro, Enterprise, Enterprise Plus); exact pricing is quote-based.

With Gatekeeper, you’ll get:

  • Vendor & supplier lifecycle management to track onboarding, performance, and compliance in one place.

  • Structured onboarding workflows for questionnaires, approvals, and risk reviews.

  • Contract repository tied to vendor records, so every agreement stays linked to the correct supplier.

  • Compliance & risk tracking for certificates, policies, audits, and due diligence tasks.

  • Automated renewal & notice reminders to prevent missed dates or surprise renewals.

  • Procurement dashboards that surface spend, vendor status, renewal timelines, and upcoming actions.

What customers are saying:

Customers appreciate Gatekeeper’s vendor lifecycle and onboarding workflows, along with its structured compliance tracking and procurement dashboards. Some reviews note that the platform feels more procurement-first than legal-first, making it less intuitive for legal teams managing heavy drafting or negotiation work. Additional feedback mentions that advanced reporting and workflow configuration may require more setup time or technical resources.

“There is an abundance of data in Gatekeeper, but at times, it can be difficult to extract or visualise data sets to compare data. This is more problematic on the spend module but overall, we've found the reporting capabilities and real-time use of the product to far outweigh this.”

- Daniel B., Supplier Contracts Lead 9

Pros Cons
  • CRM and ERP integrations
  • Automation capabilities
  • Tailored for procurement teams
  • Clunky workflows
  • Some features require costly upgrades to access
  • Rigid pre-made reports 
  • Extremely expensive 
 

10. Ironclad

Ironclad dashboard image

Ironclad at a glance: Ironclad is an enterprise-focused CLM for legal teams that need deep workflow automation, structured redlining, and robust integrations. It’s built to handle complex, cross-functional contracting at scale and is especially popular with tech-forward companies and larger organizations. The trade-off is complexity: implementations take time, configuration can be intricate, and non-legal users may need training to get comfortable.

Price range: Quote-based; typically high-end enterprise pricing.

With Ironclad, you’ll get:

  • Powerful workflow builder to model complex, multi-step contract processes with approvals, conditions, and exception routing.

  • Structured redlining tools that keep negotiations organized and track changes across internal and external stakeholders.

  • Strong integrations with tools like Salesforce, Slack, and other enterprise systems so contracts fit into existing workflows.

  • Centralized clause library to support playbooks, standard positions, and consistent drafting.

  • AI-assisted review tools (including Jurist) that summarize contracts, generate clauses and templates, assemble playbooks, and suggest targeted revisions through prompts.

  • Lifecycle analytics for visibility into bottlenecks, cycle times, and where deals tend to slow down.

What customers are saying:

Users continue to praise Ironclad’s strong workflow capabilities, integrations, and negotiation tools, but they also report recurring challenges. Feedback frequently mentions long and complex implementations, higher overall cost, and ongoing admin overhead to keep workflows running smoothly. Some customers also cite limitations in areas like search, reporting, advanced analytics, and obligation management. Retention sentiment appears more mixed than many competitors, with some teams expressing difficulty justifying renewals when adoption lags outside the legal team.

“Downsides of the product tend to be primarily the price — Ironclad is one of the leading platforms in contract management and as Ironclad delivers many premium features no one else offers, their pricing model tends to be on the premium end, which might not be ideal for smaller businesses.”

- G2.com 10

Pros Cons
  • Powerful legal tool with redlining and negotiation features and AI that analyzes contracts
  • Plays well with other software
  • Unlimited users
  • High price point and additional fees for extra implementation support
  • The setup and configuration process can be challenging and may require additional technical support
  • Difficult to use for non-legal backgrounds
  • Complex workflows and triggers setup
  • Limited user permissions
 

Check out our full comparison of ContractSafe vs. Ironclad to find the best contract management solution for your needs.


11. Juro

Juro dashboard image

Juro at a glance: Juro is known for its sleek browser-based editor and collaborative design. It focuses on making contracts feel like live, interactive documents rather than static files. Legal teams and business users appreciate the modern feel and the ability to move quickly on standard agreements. The trade-offs are around performance with very long or complex contracts and more limited advanced automation compared to heavyweight CLMs.

Price range: Juro doesn’t publish list pricing. Plans are quote-based and typically scale with contract volume and integrations—not per-user seat counts.

With Juro, you’ll get:

  • A beautiful, collaborative editor that feels familiar to anyone used to modern web docs.

  • Template-driven drafting so legal can lock in preferred language while the business self-serves common contracts.

  • Approval workflows that keep deals flowing to the right stakeholders without getting lost in email threads.

  • Real-time comments + versioning so everyone can see changes, discussions, and history in one place.

  • Salesforce integration to help sales teams generate and manage contracts more efficiently.

  • Browser-based negotiation that keeps counterparties engaged without heavy downloads or tool switching.

What customers are saying:

Juro users praise its modern, collaborative editor and how easy it is for legal and business teams to work together in one place. Many highlight faster drafting, simpler approvals, and an intuitive interface that requires minimal training. However, reviewers also note performance issues with long or complex contracts, and some teams report that advanced automation, reporting, and workflow depth don’t match what larger, enterprise-grade CLMs offer as their needs scale.

“Personally, the pricing was a challenge for us, especially as a growing company with evolving priorities. While the features are solid, it became difficult to justify the cost when we were reassessing our tech stack.” 11

Pros Cons
  • Intuitive, modern browser-based editor
  • Strong template automation for standard agreements
  • Simple approvals and collaboration tools
  •  
  • Limited customization for complex workflows
  • Performance issues with large/complex contracts
  • Difficult to use for non-legal backgrounds
  • Reporting and analytics are relatively basic
  • Redlining and formatting can feel restrictive
  • Pricing can be hard to justify as teams scale

12. LinkSquares

Linksquares dashboard image

LinkSquares at a glance: LinkSquares combines AI-powered repository search with analytics, lifecycle tools, and drafting via its Finalize module. It’s geared toward legal teams that want deeper visibility into contract data and strong reporting capabilities. The platform focuses on analytics, structured data, and fast search performance supported by modern AI.

Price range: Quote-based; mid-market to enterprise pricing.

With LinkSquares, you’ll get:

  • AI-powered Analyze search to quickly find key terms, clauses, and concepts across your entire contract repository.

  • Finalize drafting + Sign to manage creation, negotiation, and signing from within the platform.

  • Real-time dashboards that give legal and finance stakeholders a high-level view of contract status, risk, and exposure.

  • Salesforce integration so sales teams can initiate and track contracts without leaving their CRM.

  • OCR + metadata extraction to structure data from legacy contracts and make them easier to query and report on.

  • Fast implementation compared to some heavier enterprise tools, particularly on the repository and analytics side.

What customers are saying:

Users consistently highlight LinkSquares’ fast search, helpful analytics, and strong time-to-value on the repository side. At the same time, feedback frequently points to limitations that become more noticeable as teams scale. Many report that drafting and tagging can feel rigid or time-consuming, and some note that the platform lacks several capabilities that are common in other CLMs—particularly around negotiation, workflows, deeper search, storage flexibility, and integrations. Customers also mention challenges with the no-folder structure model, long implementations, tagging overhead, and difficulty driving broad adoption across departments.

"One area for improvement is the contract upload process. When uploading already-executed contracts for filing, it can take longer than expected for them to appear and be accessible on the platform. A faster turnaround would make the system even more efficient for record-keeping and reference.”

- Karina M. 12

Pros Cons
  • AI tagging and AI-powered insights
  • Metadata extraction at scale
  • Focused on legal and finance teams
  • AI isn’t always accurate and takes a long time
  • The search does not work if there is a spelling error 
  • Some modules are not intuitive
  • Lengthy implementation process
  • Pricing structure is not transparent
 

13. Outlaw

Outlaw dashboard image

Outlaw at a glance: Outlaw is now part of Filevine, bringing CLM features into Filevine’s broader legal work platform. It’s built around a clean editor, templating, and structured workflows that make high-volume, template-driven contracting more efficient. As part of Filevine, it’s especially appealing to legal teams already in that ecosystem, though its standalone CLM roadmap is more limited than in the past.

Price range: Quote-based.

With Outlaw, you’ll get:

  • Clean drafting experience that makes template-based agreements easy to create and send.

  • Template automation to generate contracts quickly from standardized language.

  • Collaboration tools to keep comments, redlines, and context in one place.

  • Filevine-native integrations that connect contracts into case or matter workflows for legal teams using Filevine.

  • Negotiation workflows designed to move deals from draft to signature without a lot of manual tracking.

What customers are saying:

Customers appreciate the editor but note limited standalone growth since the Filevine acquisition.

“Overall it is great, though the sharing functionality can sometimes be confusing for counterparties who don't have any experience using the software.”

- Evan S., Vice President 13

Pros Cons
  • Visually appealing user interface
  • "Deal Room" feature
  • Create a high volume of templated contracts quickly and easily
  • Sharing documents with external stakeholders is difficult
  • Editing process is rigid 
  • Limited customization opportunities
  • Lacks pricing transparency
 
 

14. Nomio Contract Management

Nomio dashboard image

Nomio at a glance: Nomio is a contract repository service only, not a CLM. You upload your contracts, and Nomio’s team, plus AI build and maintain a highly accurate, searchable contract database for you. It’s aimed at legal and procurement teams that want better visibility and data quality without owning the manual tagging and upkeep.

Price range: Starts at £6,200/year for up to 200 contracts, with pricing scaling based on contract volume and data field requirements.

With Nomio, you’ll get:

  • Fully searchable contract repository with rich filters and metadata.

  • Human-validated data extraction (Nomio’s team reviews and validates every data point).

  • Captured key dates (renewals, notice periods, payments) and obligations with linked citations back to the contract.

  • Automated reminders and dashboards so teams can self-serve answers quickly.

  • Integrations to sit alongside your existing systems (e.g., Salesforce / HubSpot style workflows).
    What customers are saying:

What customers are saying:

Users appreciate Nomio’s simplicity and value. Some note that it’s newer and still building out deeper functionality compared to long-standing CLMs.

Pros Cons
  •  Accurate, human-validated data extraction
  • Fast, clean contract search with structured metadata
  • Captures key dates & obligations with automated reminders
  • Easy onboarding; minimal admin required
  • Not a full CLM (no drafting, workflows, or negotiation tools)
  • Limited functionality compared to established CLMs
  • Still maturing; feature depth evolving
  • Integrations and advanced features may require additional tools
 

15. SpotDraft

Spotdraft dashboard image

SpotDraft at a glance: SpotDraft focuses heavily on drafting and approval workflows, with strong AI features built into the editor and review process. It’s gaining traction with in-house legal teams that want to standardize templates, speed up review, and manage approvals more systematically. As workflows mature and use cases expand, some teams encounter setup complexity and more effort required to keep everything configured correctly.

Price range: SpotDraft uses flexible, quote-based pricing tied to either users or contract volume (no public list prices).

With SpotDraft, you’ll get:

  • Clean, modern drafting experience that’s legal-team friendly and built for frequent use.

  • Strong approval workflows to route contracts through the right reviewers and signers.

  • AI clause extraction to surface key terms and support faster reviews on standard agreements.

  • Template standardization that helps legal keep language consistent while business users self-serve.

  • Versioning + comparisons to track changes over time and understand what’s different between drafts.

  • Salesforce integration to tie contracts into sales processes and pipelines.

What customers are saying:

Users like the editor and AI tools. Some cite complexity in setup and scaling workflows.

"The user interface is very simple, however, because the product overall requires data and information to be input, sometimes it can be frustrating to have to go through multiple screens (and remember to go through multiple screens) to make sure everything needed has been captured.”

- Priscilla C., Contracts Supervisor 14

Pros Cons
  • Good for large contract volumes
  • Uses natural language processing
  • Offers lots of integrations 
  • Laggy user interface
  • Document storage is not intuitive
  • Rigid templatization and process mapping 
  • Lacks pricing transparency
  • Customer success manager is only available for the first year
  • No free trial
 

16. Workday (formerly Evisort)

workday dashboard image

Workday (formerly Evisort) at a glance: Workday delivers some of the strongest AI contract-intelligence capabilities on the market — especially OCR, metadata extraction, clause identification, and bulk ingestion. The technology that made Evisort a leader now sits inside Workday’s broader enterprise suite, giving large organizations powerful, AI-driven visibility across huge contract volumes. It’s a strong fit for enterprise environments that need deep analytics and cross-department integrations, though implementations are typically complex and resource-heavy.

Price range: Enterprise pricing (fully quote-based).

With Workday, you’ll get:

  • AI ingestion and extraction built for scale, turning PDFs, scans, legacy documents, and multi-format files into structured, searchable contract data with high accuracy.

  • Automatic clause, obligation, and metadata identification to support obligations management, risk analysis, and reporting across huge contract inventories..

  • Bulk ingestion for large legacy repositories that allow teams to load and classify thousands (or millions) of historical documents with AI assistance.

  • Enterprise-grade analytics to answer cross-functional questions about risk exposure, financial commitments, renewal timelines, vendor obligations, and other macro-level insights.

  • Integrations across the Workday suite to connect contract data into broader financial and operational workflows.

  • Repository intelligence designed for scale, enabling multi-department search, reporting, and compliance tracking for large, distributed organizations.

What customers are saying:

Customers consistently highlight Workday’s unmatched AI extraction quality, particularly for large-scale ingestion of legacy documents. Many praise the platform’s ability to surface clauses, obligations, and risks with high accuracy across massive document sets. However, users also point out that since the acquisition, Workday’s CLM capabilities have become more enterprise-focused, often requiring substantial budgets, technical resources, and complex integrations to fully leverage its AI and analytics strengths.

“Evisort is great for finding your contracts and automating the contract review process. It is also super helpful at finding key aspects of your contract such as effective date and term provisions. Evisort can seem a bit complicated if you aren't familiar with the platform, especially when building workflows.”

- Rachel S. 15

Pros Cons
  • Powerful contract data extraction
  • AI-powered tagging system
  • Enterprise-level contract drafting
  • Wide-ranging integrations
  • No bulk document uploading
  • Weak search functionality
  • Sometimes inaccurate AI 
  • Price transparency is nonexistent 
  • Designed for enterprise teams, not everyday contract management 
 

RELATED READ: How to Build a Rock-Solid Business Case for Contract Lifecycle Management Software


Choosing the Right CLM Comes Down to Adoption, Usability, and Time-to-Value

At the end of the day, the “best” CLM is the one your team actually uses consistently. Adoption, simplicity, and fast time-to-value matter more than feature bloat or enterprise-grade complexity.

And that’s exactly where ContractSafe stands out. 

Still not sure where to start? This checklist is designed to help you cut through the noise and identify what you need now, and what will continue to work as you expand, without unnecessary complexity or high costs.


See for Yourself Why Customers Prefer ContractSafe

ContractSafe’s intuitive platform has helped countless organizations streamline their contract management processes to save time and improve efficiency. 

With an easy-to-navigate interface and robust organizational features, you can quickly and easily find any contract, track key information, and stay on top of important deadlines.

And with unlimited users, ContractSafe is the go-to solution for businesses of all sizes.

Ready to see what ContractSafe can do for you? 

Schedule a demo today and let our team show you how ContractSafe can revolutionize the way you manage your contracts. 

 

Disclaimer: Prices are accurate as of December 1, 2025 

FAQs About Contract Management Software

What is contract management software?

Contract management software is a digital tool that helps businesses create, store, track, and manage contracts in one secure place. It improves efficiency by automating reminders, enabling fast searches, and reducing the risk of missed deadlines or compliance issues.

What features should the best contract management software include?

The best contract management software should include core features that keep contracts organized, secure, and simple to manage.

Top 5 must-have features:

  • Ease of use – Simple setup and intuitive design so teams can adopt quickly without heavy training.

  • Secure, centralized repository – All contracts in one protected location.

  • Fast search and AI-powered data extraction – Quickly find clauses, terms, and dates.

  • Automated alerts and reminders – Avoid missed deadlines and renewals.

  • User permissions and role-based access – Control who can view, edit, or approve.

Additional CLM features to consider:

  • Reporting and dashboards for visibility into contract status.

  • Integrations with other business tools (eSignature, CRM, ERP).

  • Document comparison to instantly highlight changes between versions.

  • Automated risk flagging to catch red-flag clauses early.

  • Playbook-driven reviews to check contracts against preferred terms.

  • In-app editing and Word integration for faster collaboration.

  • Flexible approval workflows to route contracts without bottlenecks.

How much does contract management software cost?

Contract management software costs vary by provider and depend on the pricing model and features included.

Common pricing models include:

  • Per-user (per-seat pricing): Costs increase as more employees need access.

  • Contract-based or storage-based pricing: Pricing is based on the number of contracts stored rather than the number of users.

  • Tiered plans: Some providers bundle features (like AI, integrations, or advanced workflows) into higher-priced tiers.

Other factors that affect cost include implementation, onboarding, training, and ongoing support. The best options offer transparent pricing with no hidden fees, so you only pay for what you actually use.

How long does it take to implement contract management software?

Implementation timelines vary depending on the system and your business needs.

  • Enterprise-level tools may take several months to implement and often require significant IT support.

  • Other modern, cloud-based solutions (like ContractSafe) can be implemented much faster—often within a few weeks—with minimal technical involvement.

Factors that affect implementation time include the complexity of the software, the complexity of your workflows, the number of integrations required, the amount of data being migrated, and how quickly teams can be trained.

Do I need IT support to use contract management software?

Most small and mid-sized businesses can use modern, cloud-based contract management software without heavy IT involvement. Everyday tasks like uploading contracts, setting reminders, running reports, or searching documents are designed for legal and business teams to manage on their own.

However, IT support may be needed for:

  • Integrations with systems such as Salesforce, ERP platforms, or SSO (single sign-on).

  • Security reviews to ensure compliance with company policies.

  • Complex enterprise implementations where workflows or customizations require ongoing technical support.

In short, business teams can usually handle day-to-day use, but IT plays an important role in integrations, security, and large-scale deployments.

Who benefits most from contract management software?

Contract management software benefits organizations of all sizes by making contracts easier to track, review, and manage.

Teams that benefit include:

  • Legal – Faster contract review, improved compliance, and better visibility into obligations.

  • Procurement – Streamlined vendor agreements, fewer missed renewals, and stronger supplier relationships.

  • HR – Organized employment contracts, NDAs, and contractor agreements with automated reminders.

  • Finance – Greater control over payment terms, reduced errors, and better forecasting.

  • Operations – Centralized access to contracts that support everyday business processes.

By company size:

  • Small businesses – Stay organized and compliant, reduce manual tracking, and avoid missed deadlines.

  • Larger organizations – Gain scalability with automated workflows, approval routing, audit trails, and AI-powered risk management.

In short, any department that touches contracts—from HR and legal to finance and procurement—can benefit from the visibility, organization, and risk reduction that contract management software provides.

Does contract management software use AI?

Yes. Many modern contract management systems now include AI tools that help teams work faster, improve accuracy, and reduce risk.

Core AI features include:

  • Contract review – Automatically scans contracts to identify key terms, clauses, and obligations.

  • Clause extraction – Pulls out specific clauses (like termination, renewal, or payment terms) for faster reference.

  • Document comparison – Highlights differences between contract versions in seconds.

  • AI-powered search and Q&A – Lets users ask natural-language questions and get direct answers from contracts.

Advanced AI features may include:

  • Automated risk flagging – Surfaces non-standard or high-risk clauses for closer review.

  • Playbook-driven reviews – Compares contracts against company playbooks or preferred terms to speed up negotiations.

  • AI-assisted drafting – Suggests language or alternative clauses based on templates or prior agreements.

  • Obligation tracking – Extracts obligations (e.g., payments, deliverables, compliance requirements) and turns them into tasks or reminders.

Together, these AI capabilities reduce manual review time, lower the risk of errors, and give businesses more control over their contracts—without adding unnecessary complexity.

How does contract management software improve compliance and reduce risk?

Contract management software improves compliance and reduces risk by keeping all contracts in one secure, centralized location.

Features that support compliance include:

  • Audit trails – Track every action taken on a contract, providing transparency and accountability.

  • Permission controls – Restrict access so only authorized users can view, edit, or approve sensitive documents.

  • Automated alerts and reminders – Notify stakeholders of upcoming deadlines, renewals, or compliance requirements.

By combining these tools, businesses reduce the chance of missed renewals, overlooked obligations, non-compliance issues, and unauthorized access—all of which can lead to financial loss or legal exposure.

What’s the difference between using spreadsheets and contract management software?

Spreadsheets can track basic contract information, but they lack the security, automation, and visibility needed for effective contract management.

Key limitations of spreadsheets:

  • No centralized repository, which leads to scattered files and version confusion.

  • Limited searchability, making it difficult to quickly find specific clauses or dates.

  • No automated reminders for renewals or deadlines, increasing the risk of missed obligations.

  • Weak security and no role-based permissions, leaving sensitive data exposed.

How contract management software solves these gaps:

  • Provides a secure, centralized system with built-in access controls.

  • Offers full-text search and AI-powered data extraction to find information instantly.

  • Sends automated alerts and reminders for deadlines and renewals.

  • Includes version control and audit trails for accuracy and compliance.

In short, spreadsheets are fine for tracking data in the early stages, but contract management software scales with your business by saving time, reducing risk, and improving compliance.

Sources: Vendor websites, pricing pages, and aggregated user reviews from G2 and Capterra (2024–2025) sourced below.

  1. ContractSafe Review
  2. Agiloft Reviews on Capterra
  3. Contractbook Reviews on G2
  4. ContractWorks Reviews on Capterra
  5. Cobblestone Reviews on Capterra
  6. Concord Reviews on Capterra
  7. ContractZen Reviews on G2
  8. DocuSign Reviews on Capterra
  9. Gatekeeper Reviews on Capterra
  10. Ironclad Reviews on G2
  11. Juro Review on Software Advice
  12. LinkSquares Reviews on G2
  13. Outlaw Reviews on Capterra
  14. SpotDraft Reviews on G2
  15. Workday Reviews on G2

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